Sudbury architecture firm attacks report touting benefits of Kingsway Entertainment District
A Sudbury architectural firm says a new report favourable to the Kingsway Entertainment District didn’t give its own proposal a fair shake.
Project NOW is the brainchild of 3rd Line Studio. The firm says it can renovate Sudbury Arena for $60 million, $40 million less than the original budget for the KED.
But in a report headed to city council June 16, consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said renovating the arena would cost between $115.4 million and $118.6 million. It would also cost more to operate and is a riskier project.
"A modernized SCA (Sudbury Community Arena) would likely generate a higher operating deficit compared to a new events centre," the report said. "A modernized SCA would also have a higher risk profile compared to a new build events centre on either the Kingsway site or downtown site."
But in a news release Tuesday, 3rd Line Studio accused PwC of ignoring the actual Project NOW proposal.
"We understood this study would review the Project NOW assumptions and comment on program compliance, design strategies used and costing developed," the firm said.
"We expected that your team would reach out to us, but we were not contacted. We understood council would then be positioned to compare a Project NOW review to alternative new build options.
The report "did none of these things," 3rd Line Studio said.
"The report has conceived of entirely new vision for the Sudbury Community Arena, one that is nearly double the size and scope of the Project NOW proposal, and provided an analysis of this new, expanded project instead of Project NOW."
It accused the PwC report of misleading council in its conclusions.
"The result is NOT a fair review of Project NOW, and a fair comparison to any other option is no longer viable," the firm said. "This report misrepresents our firm’s work and created a narrative that is misleading and based on a false premise."
You can read the full release from 3rd Line Studios, which details their objections to the PwC report, here.
Not surprisingly, Sudbury Wolves owner Dario Zulich welcomed the PwC's conclusions. Zulich, who owns land where the KED would be built, said he supported the review by PwC.
"The independent and fact-based report, as prepared by the PwC team of professionals, now gives our mayor and council even more confidence and conviction to lead us through a post-COVID economic recovery, which many say will resemble the roaring 20s,” Zulich said in a statement.
"We must now come together as a unified team, moving forward positively and with all our might, for the exciting work is about to begin.”
City councillors will review the PwC report at a special meeting June 16.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.